Dates
First, we have a few announcements regarding time frames for Alpha, Beta, and ship! Check them out below!
Alpha: 4th Quarter 2016 (Targeting end of November)
Beta: 1st Quarter 2017 (Targeting January)
Full Launch: Mid-2017
We also expect our forums to launch around the same time as Alpha hits so we have a home for discussion and feedback.
Physical Release
Speaking of the above-mentioned full release, we're excited to announce that our partnership with THQNordic has allowed us to do a full physical release of the game to retail! We'll be working with THQNordic to figure out the details of a program that'll allow our backers to upgrade to physical copies if they'd like to.
Admittedly this may be tricky so it'll take some time to figure out exactly how to make it happen, and we hope to have some details for everyone on the upgrade system in the coming months.
Game Upgrades
Working with THQNordic has given us the time and cash to do a few cool things with the game. Here are a few things we'll be doing with those added resources:
- More Dungeons! We had planned 5, but will now be creating 8.
- More Abilities! Heroes will now have more animations and greater combat depth
- More Creatures! In a nutshell... more creatures.
- Fishing! The originally planned "Tavern Mini Game" stretch goal has blossomed into a fishing mini-game system that will be used throughout the game
- More Polish! We're adding to the game, but also putting time into simply spit-shining many of the features we were already doing.
And those are just a few. We can't wait to get the game in our backers hands first, and in a matter of months!
The cold winds of winter are rising, and with them, a snowstorm of great THQ Nordic games is about to arrive, DRM-free on GOG.com. Put on your coats and let's go meet them!
Creating an American Japanese RPG
Nightwar is a RPG with plenty of Japanese leanings. It’s a format that makes sense for Madureira, whose enthusiasm for imported games was a source of humour among his editors. “Whenever one of my books would be late, there would always be jokes that 'Oh, Joe's playing Final Fantasy’ or whatever,” he recounts.
JRPGs were a huge influence on the Battle Chasers comics. “I was influenced so much by videogame art,” says Madureira. “Whether it's JRPGs or big blocky Capcom characters from the Street Fighter series.” As such, seeing the characters come alive in that genre makes perfect sense.
It was also the obvious choice for the comic’s ensemble cast. “For a party-based game we just felt it was the best way to present the combat and have multiple characters,” Madureira explains. “You really get to see their abilities, and each character gets their limelight.”
The influences have come full circle. Now, instead of a comic full of JRPG flavour, it’s a JRPG with graphic novel seasoning. For example, panels featuring Madureira’s art display during certain combat moves, making the battle system feel like a hybrid of comic action sequences and videogames.
Madureira feels passionate about making a Western JRPG. “Why aren't people in the states making these games?” he asks. “There's a lot of love for these old games but there aren't many studios that are willing to do it, so we kind of took it upon ourselves to do something.”
Outside the classically orchestrated combat though, Airship Syndicate are looking to make Nightwar a little different from traditional JRPGs. “We have randomly generated dungeons, we have randomly generated loot, and the dungeons are more action-based,” notes Madureira, citing Diablo as a point of reference.
December Battle Chasers: Nightwar Update!
Happy New Year (almost), Backers!
No preamble this time, just a shiny assortment of brand-spanking-new animated GIFs (jiffs?)!
But what does it all mean...?
Crafting System
Some of the best gear is made at crafting stations found in dungeons. When you reach them, recipes are simple: put in the required ingredients for a 100% chance to make an uncommon-quality item.
In a few twists, you can try with LESS than the required ingredients, and you'll see your percentage chance to succeed (or fail, and lose all of the ingredients). You can put MORE than the required ingredients into the craft, increasing your chance to make a rare or better item.
Pile in enough, and you'll add up to a guaranteed epic version of any equippable item.
Alpha and Beta
We didn't get to alpha before Christmas like we had hoped, but are still aiming for the first quarter of '17 for both. We're still holding steady on our planned mid-2017 ship date. Many have asked when they'll choose their platform: this will be around the Beta date.
New Characters
Meet two new members of the Battle Chasers universe... the to-be-named Beastmaster (stretch goal!) and the tavern keeper, Dogan.
To 2017
Thanks all. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Holidays... all of it!
-Airship